.

Retro Radio Show

1.12.06

Baby Gate & The Happy Boys

That's the singer who is very original, I think. Her name is Anna Mazzini Maria, or Mina, and she's one of the biggest stars on Italian scene.

Mina was born on 25 March, 1940 in Busto Arsizio. In 1943 her parents moved to Cremona. There Mina started to study accounting, but not too long, because she decided to dedicate herself to music. That was in the middle 1950's when she heard rock'n'roll and started to sing with the local band The Happy Boys.

One summer evening of 1958 David Matalon, the head of Italdisc/Broadway records, noticed her and thought that she has a real talent. He signed her with his labels. In December two singles have been released. One, under the name Baby Gate & The Happy Boys, and another, under the name Mina.

Soon, The Happy Boys decided to make it their own way, and Mina formed a new band called Solitari. With Solitari Mina appeared on the first Italian Rock'n'roll festival and received a huge appreciation from the public. And the rest is history.

Listen to her first single from 1958, which was recorded under the name Baby Gate & The Happy Boys (Baby was Mina, and Gate came from her favourite gospel group Golden Gate Quartet). Really smashing record, here she goes!